North of the Badaling Great Wall and 80 kilometers (50 miles) from downtown Beijing, you can discover Longqing Gorge, in northeast Yanqing County. The gorge, reputed to be the 'Little Three Gorges', features clear waters, wooded mountains, curious stones and wonderful karst caves. The gorge's main attractions are the Longqing Gorge Cruise, Baihua (hundred Flowers) Cave, and the Shenxianyuan (Immortal) and Jingang temples.

Near the entrance, a grand waterfall plummets down 50 meters (164 feet) from the dam above. A long, dragon-shaped escalator carries visitors to the dam, where the cruise begins. On both sides, eerie mountains and strange formations inspire visitors' imaginations as they have for centuries. You can marvel at the huge, natural Buddha stone and a hill rising from the water like a great bell. Another hill, named Fengguan (Phoenix Coronet) Isle, is considered the symbol of the Longqing Gorge. Fengguan is surrounded on three sides by water and closed off by high mountains on the fourth.

Visitors can experience the four seasons, from the heat of the tropics to the heart of the northeastern China, thanks to the colorful lights and elaborately crafted flowers in Baihua Cave. In the Shenxianyuan Temple area, several huge stones halfway up the cliff resemble chessboards. It's said that rubbing on the trunk of the tree near the edge of cliff can cure illnesses, but no one dares get close because of the extreme danger. The Yuhuang Peak is the highest in the area, and the teahouse at the peak offers a wonderful position from which to appreciate the scenery. In the Jingang Temple area, a hill looking like a pen gently dips into the water as if it were clearest ink. A karst cave nearby, Minting Coins Stove, is the place where two brothers made fake money to save the poor in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

Every year, the Ice and Snow Festival, held from January to February in Longqing Gorge, displays many beautiful ice lanterns. During the festival, the marvelous ice waterfall together with the lanterns attracts many visitors. Except for the Ice and Snow Festival, Longqing Gorge only opens to visitors from April 10 to November 15.

Longqing Gorge is an ideal place to do extreme sports such as bungee-jumping (CNY 150 per person), rock-climbing or abseiling (CNY 50 per person). Taking a slideway and boating cost CNY 20 per person and CNY 20 per hour. Tickets for the cruise, the Baihua Cave, the Shenxianyuan Temple and the Jingang Temple are respectively CNY 60, 10, 20 and CNY 10 per person.

 Beijing Valleys and Gullies, Caves: